Etienne Wenger - theory of Communities of Practice

Question 1

Question:
Who is Etienne Wenger, and what is the theory of Communities of Practice? How does it work, and how is it used in organisations?

Answer 1

Answer:
Etienne Wenger (b. 1952) is a French-born educational theorist who, along with Jean Lave, developed the concept of Communities of Practice (CoP) in the early 1990s.
The theory explains how people learn and develop expertise through shared experience and collaboration, especially outside of formal training.

👥 What Is a Community of Practice?
“A group of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do — and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly.” — Wenger (1998)

🔑 3 Key Elements of a Community of Practice:
Element Description Workplace Example
1. Domain A shared area of interest or expertise Hajj operations, software development, teaching
2. Community Members interact and build trust Regular team catchups or peer support chats
3. Practice Shared knowledge, tools, tips, resources Checklists, templates, case studies, group wisdom

🧠 How It Works:
People learn through real-world practice, conversation, and collaboration

Learning is ongoing and based on mutual engagement, not just formal training

🏢 Workplace Application:
Used in healthcare, education, guiding, IT, and HR

Encourages knowledge transfer between new and experienced staff

Helps organisations retain tacit knowledge (things that aren’t written down)

✅ Why It Matters:
Boosts teamwork and collaboration

Encourages informal learning and innovation

Supports leadership development and knowledge sharing

⚠️ Limitations:
Hard to measure learning outcomes

May exclude non-participants

Needs time and trust to develop